Arab Americans Score Major Breakthroughs

On Wednesday, October 20, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered the keynote address at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP)’s 5th annual gala. Secretary Clinton reaffirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to viable Palestinian statehood where “the indignity of occupation would end,” noting that the US position on Israeli settlements has not changed, and promising that the Obama administration will not turn its back on Palestinians and Israelis in their struggle for a just and lasting peace.

On Thursday, October 21, Tomorrow’s Youth Organization (TYO) hosted former President Bill Clinton and former British first lady Cherie Blair at their gala in Washington. TYO is a non-profit organization founded by Hani Masri to empower the women and children of Palestine. Former President Clinton talked about the particular need for women’s empowerment during these difficult times in the Palestinian territories.

On Friday, October 22, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs announced that as a result of the American Task Force on Lebanon's (ATFL) successful raising of $100,000 in private contributions that it was awarding $200,000 to the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). This was a 2-to-1 matching grant that is being used for the clearance of cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of Israel’s 2006 assault on Lebanon in the aftermath of its clash with Hezbollah.

Since the end of the war in August 2006, the UN has documented 44 fatalities and nearly 300 injuries as a result of explosive remnants of the war. MAG has been successful in clearing more than half of the contaminated area, thanks, in part, for the contributions of ATFL and the US government.

Congratulations to our friends at ATFP, Tomorrow's Youth and AFTL who each enjoyed tremendous successes this past week.

Do you have good news you would like to share on our blog? Send it here.